Some people relate to such a phenomenon as a tick bite, quite carelessly. But if you get a little insight into the risk of infection from such bites, we can conclude that there is nothing to worry about. A consequence of walking along forest paths can be a disease called borreliosis. In children and adults, it can cause equally dangerous symptoms, which, without proper treatment, can even lead to disability.
What should be understood as tick-borne borreliosis?
Tick-borne borreliosis, also called Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis, is an infectious disease. It is transmitted through the bite of an ixodid tick. The development of this disease leads to damage to various systems and organs. It can be the heart, nervous system, skin, or joints. This natural focal chronic infection takes its name from the causative agent of the disease - the microorganism Borrelia. Such a diagnosis was first established in 1975 among residents of the town of Lyme in the United States.
If in time to identify signs of borreliosis and begin treatment with antibiotics, then the chances of a trouble-free recovery will be quite high. If the diagnosis determines Lyme disease at a late stage and after that illiterate therapy will be carried out, borreliosis can turn into an intractable chronic form. Therefore, do not take lightly a tick bite.
Causes of occurrence
A tick (borreliosis infects this particular insect) is a carrier of three types of microorganisms that are capable of causing infectious diseases. Those who wish to protect themselves from a diagnosis such as Lyme disease should pay attention to the bites of ixodid ticks that become infected when they suck the blood of animals with an infection. Such ticks are most common in temperate zones, especially in areas occupied by mixed forests. As endemic areas where there is a danger of getting a dangerous bite, you can define the central and western regions of Russia: Western Siberia, the Urals, the Far East. The causative agent of borreliosis is also found in some areas of Europe and the United States.
In late spring and early summer, the tick is most active. Borreliosis for this reason, during this period, the maximum number of people becomes infected. It is worth knowing that the infection can get into the blood, not only with a bite, but also during a tick rupture, which occurs due to improper removal.
There are also chances to catch the disease through nutritional transmission. We are talking about the use of dairy products without prior heat treatment. Raw goat milk is especially dangerous in this regard. In this case, the disease of borreliosis is not transmitted from one infected person to another. But if a tick bites a pregnant woman, then intrauterine transmission of the infection can lead to miscarriages, various congenital anomalies and even the death of the baby. Therefore, for those who are expecting a baby, in the spring-summer period it is better to stay at a distance from potential infection zones.
The mechanism of the development of the disease
As mentioned above, the infection itself directly occurs only after a tick has been made by a tick. Borreliosis, and to be more precise, the pathogen microorganism enters the nearest lymph nodes and begins to multiply there. A few days later, Borrelia gets into the blood stream and with it spread throughout the body.
The incubation period of the disease is from 7 to 14 days from the time of the tick bite. The direct effect of borrelia on the lymph nodes may result in generalized lymphadenopathy.
As a result, the infection enters the muscles, central nervous system, joints, heart, and can be there for quite some time, continuing to multiply. And even despite the fact that the immune system actively produces antibodies in order to destroy hostile microorganisms, it is not possible to completely get rid of the disease. Another danger lies here: the immune complexes that the causative agent of borreliosis led to are the cause of the start of the autoimmune process. This means that antibodies no longer attack the virus, but the tissues of the body, which they must initially protect.
Borreliosis disease: symptoms
The development of this infectious disease can be divided into several stages:
- The incubation period (the time from the moment of infection to the onset of the first symptoms).
- I stage. It begins at the moment when microorganisms pass to the process of reproduction in the lymph nodes.
- II stage. It corresponds to the phase when borrelia spreads throughout the body along with blood.
- III stage. It can be defined as chronic. During this period, a particular system (musculoskeletal or nervous) is affected.
Stage I and II are considered an early period of the development of the disease, and stage III is defined as a late period. Moreover, this separation is conditional, since there is no clear moment of transition between them.
First stage
Signs of borreliosis at this stage have both local and general manifestations. Common symptoms include nausea, fever (38 ° C), headache, chills, general malaise, aches and pains in joints and muscles. In some cases, catarrhal phenomena are possible : coughing, sore throat and sore throat, mild runny nose.
As for the local symptoms, these signs are as follows: in the place where the bite was made, swelling appears, redness and itching is felt. The formation of annular erythema also occurs, which manifests itself in more than half of the bitten (70%). It has the appearance of a dense red formation, expanding over several days. From the side, the form of erythema resembles a red ring. At the same time, the place where the bite was made remains visible in the very center: it is much paler. A round or oval redness may have a diameter of 10 to 60 mm.
As for the unpleasant sensations, their annular erythema does not deliver. Only in rare cases, redness bakes and itches. The first stage can last from several days to several months. But in most cases it has to be observed on average 30 days.
Second stage
Opening the topic: “Tick-borne borreliosis: symptoms and treatment”, it is worth paying attention to the stage at which the infection begins to affect the heart, skin, joints and nervous system. The duration of this stage can also be several months. By the time this stage of the development of the disease begins, the symptoms characteristic of the first period disappear. Cases were recorded when tick-borne tick-borne borreliosis began immediately from the second stage without the manifestation of a general infection syndrome and ring erythema.
The defeat of the nervous system at this stage can be determined by the following signs: destructive processes occur in the cranial nerves and the roots of the spinal nerves (defined as radiculopathy).
It is also possible the development of serous meningitis, which is nothing more than inflammation of the meninges. It is manifested by increased sensitivity to irritants, moderate headache, photophobia, severe fatigue and muscle tension in the neck. Another symptom of meningitis can be insomnia.
As for the cranial nerves, the facial is most often affected. The paralysis of facial muscles will testify to the fact of the lesion: food falls out of the mouth, eyes do not open completely, and the face looks noticeably skewed. Often a bilateral lesion is recorded, in which the work of one side of the face is initially disrupted and a second days or weeks later. In addition to the facial, destructive processes can affect the auditory and optic nerves. This can be expressed in the form of strabismus, hearing loss, vision and impaired movement of the eyeballs.
Considering tick-borne borreliosis, the consequences of which can be more than tangible, it is worth noting that the roots of the spinal nerves with the fact of the lesion make themselves felt by tangible shooting pain, which is directed from top to bottom in the limbs and takes on a shingles.
Third stage
This period of the development of the disease can occur even several years after the bite. At this stage, borreliosis has the following consequences: atrophic acrodermatitis, damage to the nervous system (encephalopathy, polyneuropathy and encephalomyelitis), chronic arthritis.
In most cases, one particular system is affected: joints, nervous system, or skin. But if you do not fight the disease, then in the process of development, it can lead to combined damage to the systems.
When chronic arthritis develops against the background of an infection such as tick-borne tick-borne borreliosis, a destructive effect can be exerted on both large and small joints. At the same time, the cartilage tissue will most likely begin to thin out, deforming processes will appear in the joints, and osteoporosis will develop in the bone structure. The nearby muscle fibers (chronic myositis) will be involved in the process of stable destruction.
The defeat of the nervous system in the third stage can manifest itself in various ways. Perhaps the development of paresthesia, an increase or decrease in sensitivity, the occurrence of various pains and even paresis. It makes sense to expect a violation of mental (memory, intelligence) and coordinating functions (equilibrium). Hearing can also be affected. It is not necessary to exclude disorders of the pelvic organs and the appearance of epileptic seizures. It is worth noting the fact that most patients experience lethargy, severe fatigue and emotional disturbances.
Chronic Lyme Disease
If you ignore the treatment process and allow the infection to freely affect the body, then tick-borne borreliosis will go into the chronic stage. With this form of the disease, a stable wave-like deterioration will be observed. If you highlight the most common clinical syndromes that develop with a chronic form of borreliosis, then you should pay attention to the following diseases:
- atrophic acrodermatitis;
- various forms of arthritis;
- damage to the nervous system involving any of its structures in the process (in this case, there may be many foci of destruction);
- lymphocytomas.
Treatment
If tick-borne borreliosis was suspected, the patient must be immediately hospitalized in an infectious diseases hospital. Especially if the child is injured. Borreliosis in children can lead to serious complications. And only with the participation of professional doctors is it possible to conduct complex therapy, the purpose of which is to destroy the causative agents of Lyme disease. It is worth remembering that without proper and timely treatment, borreliosis can lead to disability.
Moreover, antibiotic treatment of borreliosis can be defined as the most effective method of exposure to harmful microorganisms. The good news is that if infection is suppressed with antibacterial drugs in the first stage, there is every chance of avoiding the development of cardiac neurological and arthrological complications.
For this reason, antibiotic treatment of borreliosis should begin as early as possible.
If we talk about the early stage of infection, it is worth noting that during this period, the drug "Amoxicillin" is used to neutralize the disease. Such therapy lasts about 20-30 days. Actively used in the initial stage and Tetracycline. If you do not affect erythema, then it can pass within a month, but when antibiotic treatment of borreliosis is carried out, then ring redness can go much earlier.
Repeatedly proved its effectiveness and a drug such as Doxycycline. It is most relevant for those patients who have manifested skin diseases (benign lymphoma of the skin, migratory ring-shaped erythema).
Penicillin is prescribed to those who have a lesion of the nervous system in the second stage. At the first stage, it is effective in the occurrence of fixed arthralgia and myalgia. As the most relevant antibiotic from the group of cephalosporins, Ceftriaxone can be defined. Its use is recommended for both early and late neurological disorders. This drug is also relevant for those patients who, against the background of Lyme disease, developed a high degree of arthrioventicular block or appeared arthritis, including chronic ones.
In general, antibiotic treatment of borreliosis has proven itself exclusively from the best side.
Preventative measures
Lyme disease is too serious a diagnosis to be ignored. Therefore, if possible, the best option is to avoid infection and prevent the unpleasant process of the effects of a serious infection on the body.
Prevention of borreliosis involves staying in areas where ticks can live, in closed shoes and clothing that completely covers the body (long trousers, pant legs with puffs, sleeves with cuffs). It will not be superfluous to use repellents that can repel ticks.
If it so happened that the tick got on the skin and managed to be absorbed, then you need to immediately visit the infectious department of the nearest hospital. They will take blood for borreliosis and determine if there has been an infection. Conducting analyzes, and without delay, is a necessary measure that cannot be ignored. Otherwise, you will have to face very serious symptoms. Therefore, you should immediately use the recommended medications. Prevention of borreliosis will be more effective if after a bite for 5 days take 2 tablets of the drug "Doxycycline" per day.
Obviously, Lyme disease, with all its destructive potential, can be defeated without any special complications if an infected person quickly seek help from doctors and follows their recommendations.
So, we examined tick-borne borreliosis, symptoms and treatment of this infection and possible preventive measures. Be attentive to your health!